The invention relates to a device for electroacoustically amplifying a stringed instrument with a tailpiece button and with a sound pick-up device attached to the stringed instrument by means of a mounting support, whereby the sound pick-up device is suitable for connection to an amplifier via lead wires that run through the hollow formed tailpiece button.
Up until now, to facilitate the direct electroacoustic amplification of a violin, for example, a microphone had to be provisionally attached to the tailpiece in the vicinity of the violin's bridge. Occasionally, could achieve the desired electroacoustic sound amplification for stringed instruments using such customary clip-on microphones. This type of direct sound amplification is sometimes necessary, particularly to promote studio effects or for concerts held under unfavorable acoustical conditions, such as open-air concerts.
However, the danger with this known device is that during intensely moving play, the configuration can be touched or even pushed off. Moreover, the tonal result is unsatisfactory since outside influences such as noises from the bow or the musician's breath can also be amplified to an undesired degree. In addition, the device represents an unwanted foreign body, which-- besides the fact that it is optically disturbing --can inhibit the musician in his artistic development.
A device which avoids the previously mentioned disadvantages is known from the German Patent 966 106. A hollow tailpiece button for a stringed instrument is described therein, through which lead wires run to a sound pick-up device. This publication makes no mention of where this sound pick-up device has to be mounted in or on the stringed instrument nor of the means required to attach this device there. However, even the question of the mounting support is a problem that needs be optimally solved in order not to interfere with the acoustic pattern of the stringed instrument.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to further develop the known device in a way which will allow the sound pick-up device to be attached in an extremely simple way to a stringed instrument. Another object consists in specifying a device which can be removed again from the stringed instrument with only little manipulation.